Northern Stars
by Midnight Trekker
Summary: Keary and his friends love one another and they're all inseparable. But after a tragic accident on Graduation Night, Keary is forced to leave his home, and unknown to him, his loving friends actually follow him. Showing him the way through thick and thin, but also revealing his inner dark thought, thus making Keary become a White One, and loses his sanity along with it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my entry for the contest, and also my first FanFiction now that I think about it. My OC is very worthy to join The White Ones, mainly because of his heartsong, "Reflection of Your Footprints", which is an original song by me, Midnight Trekker. **

**Original Songs: **

**One Precious Night **

**Down With My Heart **

**Reflection of Your Footprints **

Northern Stars

By Midnight Trekker

Chapter 1

Graduation night was by far the most important night for any young penguin from any nation, not just those from Emperor Land. As such was the case for one very meek young penguin in a nation far from the home of the Emperors. Though this nation was composed of the same penguins, the talent ratio by male to female greatly favored the females over the males. This was a troubling truth for this adolescent male, his heart was filled with the proper words in order to finally express his feeling to his chickhood love, but he lacked the talent to sing them. He pondered this on and on as he paced in the back of the class in a densely walled area in the corner of his nation's home grounds. Emperor Land may have had their graduation ceremony on a glacier, but these penguins had it out of the way and off to the side instead. A colossal wall of thick ice was behind the stage, and the stage was nothing but a massive pile of rocks, on top of which stood the top singer in their class, which was of course a female. This was not his love however; his love was a great signer, but still far from the best. His love was but a simple penguin who was no kind of stand out, just as he wasn't. The only difference between the two was the fact that she could sing, he couldn't. The new graduate continued his walk of anguish and anticipation as he thought about his words. The only solution he could think of was to ask one of his friends to sing them for him. Ironically, it was just then that the penguin's group of friends arrived and saw him, but he didn't notice them due to his eyes locked on the ice beneath him as he paced.

"You think we should tell?" A penguin with brown eyes asked.

"No…it's sort of funny to watch him panic. Yet, I feel sorry for the guy too." One with green eyes, and a husky figure said.

"I'll go talk to him…" The last one said, this one was very slim down the sides, and had more of a grayish eye color. She walked up to her friend who was still in a bashful state, and then he almost had a heart attack when she called his name. "Key…!" And he screamed and fell over. She rushed up to him and looked at his eyes, they were closed tightly shut and once they opened, he shook his head as he returned to his sanity and gazed at who had startled him. The look in her eyes was kind, and also scared, like she knew he was worrying too much. He just placed his flipper over his face and sighed while still lying on the ground.

"Dang it MB…you know not to do that. I'm already stressing out enough as it is." The girl giggled at her friend's goofy behavior.

"I can see that…" She said and helped him to his feet. He smiled to her as he was pulled up.

"Thanks…you're a good friend." Those words hit her like a leopard seal's teeth gashing into her flesh. She loved Key so much, and he only thought of her as a friend.

Maria Bella, or MB to her friends, had joined Key's little group after she was bullied in school for her petty singing voice. Key stood up for her where few others had, the few others being his group of friends. Quickly accepted as the 'No Group, Group' the four of them all rapidly got along and shared practically every experience together, and those that they missed were told every detail, so it's as if they shared it. During this time, MB always had taken a liking to Key when he talked, escorted her to events, and always gave her confidence. Soon enough, as one might guess, she fell in love with him and waited until Graduation to sing to him as everyone else had to make it special. One thing she had overlooked was that Key had had a long time crush on another girl named Iris who, as mentioned before, was not at the top of the class, but still very good at singing. MB was certain that after she sang to him, as he lacked the ability to sing to her, they would fall in love and live happily, and she was excited, the time was drawing near.

Their other friends, Pudge, the husky one, and Leo, the brown eyed one, were never interested in girls, the two of them preferred to think about their own group and worry about others later. Each of the friends had also come up with nicknames for one another, and only used their real names for pep talks, emergencies, or simply to get their attention; Key's real name was Keary, Pudge's real name was Kale, and Leo's full name, not real name, was Leonard, they just left off the 'nard' part.

The song being sung by the girl at the top of the class was nearing its end, and Key was still nervous about Iris, and MB was still lying in wait. "We good over here…?" Pudge waddled over and asked, he always walked like he ate too much fish, but they loved him anyway.

"They look fine to me; are we still doing this thing Key?" Leo asked his friend. Key stared at MB, and then looked towards his two other friends.

"Yes, we have to. All three of you know I can't sing very well, my song is…is…" Key didn't like being egotistical, instead he was more of a push over.

"You already told me the words…Keary…" MB told him, right in front of Pudge and Leo, "And in my opinion, they're beautiful." She smiled at him and gave him a wink. He blushed, and then sighed; he had some confidence back now.

"Thanks MB…I mean…Maria…" He'd never said that before, Pudge and Leo had their beaks hanging open. "Alright, let's do this." Key said and headed into the crowd of penguins with Pudge and Leo, leaving MB behind in his icy dust, he'd left her stunned and full hearted at the same time.

**That's only chapter 1, you've met all the important characters, and in case you are wondering, this is about Key, not MB. I bet you can guess what will happen, but you never know when someone might throw a curve ball at you.**

**Character List:**

**Keary- Nicknamed 'Key' by his friends; Keary is the candidate for The White Ones. He's a real pushover, but would still do anything for his friends, especially MB. Shy, meek, and extremely unsure of himself, Keary has the greatest potential for deception of any one penguin here, but not even he knows that yet.**

**Maria Bella- Sweet, kind, and thoughtful, Maria Bella, called 'MB' for short, is the heart of the group. She is in love with Keary, but he has never really returned the affection. Still completely loyal, and the best singer in the group, Maria Bella is everyone's most trusted friend, especially Keary.**

**Kale- He is a little over-weight, sort of like Atticus and Seymour, but is still loveable and funny to his friends. His weight made his friends nickname him 'Pudge', and he likes that name better than his real one. Kale is fun and a little dumb sometimes, but has great emotional strength channeled through his singing.**

**Leonard- Shortened to just 'Leo', Leonard is the nerd of the group. He's a better singer than Keary, and constantly argues with Pudge over who is better between them, but he still treats his friends equally, something no one does for him. **

**Stay in touch everyone! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: You have no idea how much editing went into the last chapter! The character's nicknames came into play at the last second, so I had to get use to typing that, and all the original songs are a pain in the *** to write! How the **** does MyWayWriter do so many? I'm having serious issues writing just one! But regardless, back to the penguin who is sure to make the cut for The White Ones, Key, and his love interest…Iris or Maria Bella?**

Northern Stars

Chapter 2

Key had his friends, Pudge and Leo right behind him and he was all set and ready, the confidence that MB had given him was just the boost he needed to make this work. He may have had his doubts, but if there's one thing he knew for sure, it's that his friends would always be there for him to give him the support he needs. He pushed his way through the crowd of other young graduates until he had Iris in sight, he trembled a little at the site of her beauty, but quickly regained his morale and signaled for Pudge and Leo to get in front of him and get her attention by waving their flippers.

"Okay guys you know what to do! You get her over here and I'll tell you what to sing." Key told them, and then the two made noise and flailed their flippers around, which unfortunately didn't just get the attention of Iris, instead it got the attention of everyone. This was not what Key wanted, he was already shaking, even though he wasn't the one being looked at, but it was already too late to turn back, so he looked at Pudge and whispered to him what to say. After he was done, Pudge looked at Iris and said,

"Hey Iris… just so you know, everything I'm about to say is from my friend Key." Pudge said, and then took his stance, Leo also got ready and then Pudge began. "Iris… I think you are the most beautiful penguin in this whole nation and even though I can't sing myself, I would have no higher honor than being able to join with you in a song. I know my heart song and it sounds like it would be perfect for you to sing. This is why I asked my friends here to speak for me because I'm awfully shy, and I also didn't expect the whole graduation class to be staring at me when I told Pudge to say this. What do you say? Do you want to sing my heartsong with the two of them so I can show you how much you mean to me?"

Iris didn't seem like she understood what was going on, she was beautiful and sung very well, but Key's little mind game where his friends spoke for him was very unattractive to her and she didn't like it. It was afterwards that Iris walked up to Pudge and Leo and moved them aside to see Key behind them, the fact that everyone was now looking at him and her really threw him for a loop. He didn't freeze, but he still couldn't move. Iris's voice was calm, and she spoke very nicely, but what she was about to say wasn't what Key wanted to hear. "That's very sweet of you, but I'd like to know…if you like me so much…wouldn't it be more special if you sang the song to me yourself, regardless of how talented you are?" Iris wasn't the type of girl to get angry easily, but she did seem a little curious as to why the penguin was so cowardly, even if his musical talents weren't sharp.

"Well…uh…" He couldn't say no to her, he liked her too much. "Fine…guys?" He said towards his friends, "Will you back up sing for me please?" They nodded their heads and got behind him. Pudge and Leo had good voices for males of their nations, but weren't well enough to be considered talented. "Okay Iris…this is…my song-ish…" Everyone giggled, including Iris.

The two shook and raised their flippers over their heads, and Key was jittery.

_I know that when I look at you_

_My heart becomes a bell_

_Every time I hear you speak_

_I automatically come on outta my shell _

_So this what it sounds like _

_When I'm giving love a try_

_I hope it lasts forever like those stars _

_That shine up high_

Key was right about his singing skills, some penguins were covering their ears and others were cringing and turning away. Even Iris wasn't so sure about his singing; the only penguin really paying attention to the words was actually MB, who had walked into the crowd after she regained the feeling in her body after Key called her Maria. MB loved the words, and wished everyone would look past his voice to hear them.

'_Cause this is the night where I'm finally opening up to you_

_(You)_

_And I think I'll be fine if you open up to me too_

_(To me too)_

_I've been stretching and straining my mind all day thinking about this _

_(This, this) _

_So I ask you please just put me to sleep with one last kiss_

_This precious night could be our first, but also be our last_

_(Our first, our last)_

_So make this one precious night for the two of us_

_For we may not get another in a lifetime or more_

_(Not another chance, not another love)_

Key couldn't do anymore, his nerves were getting the best of him, he stopped. MB rushed to his side and hugged him, but Key didn't notice her helping him try and regain his focus, but Iris was just shaking her head and looked like she was dizzy.

"Ugh…" She said and focused her eyes back to Key. "No offense Key, but…what the hell was that?" Now Key became frozen, he had just been publicly insulted by his crush, Iris cleared didn't pay any attention to the other female with her flippers wrapped around Key's body, and MB was not about to let her get away with saying that.

"What was that…?" MB said sarcastically to Iris, MB removed her flippers from around Key and began to get up in Iris's face. "THAT…was my friend's heartsong! He probably stayed up for weeks building the courage to try and attempt this! And then you come around and shatter his hopes by first making him sing when everyone here knows he's not that good at it, and then throwing his love on the ground and then stomping on it! You Iris, are not fit to have someone like Key as a lover if you're going to act like that!" Her yelling at Iris rattled the ice wall and caused a few cracks, making it unstable, but Iris wasn't about to get told to her face.

"I think you should shut your mouth Maria Bella! I asked him what his song was, I didn't insult it! I said hell because I was talking about his singing! I knew he wasn't very good, but that's just flat out terrible! He'd never impress anyone with that kind of voice, not me, not anyone! He probably couldn't even impress you with that voice!" The ice was getting more unstable, more cracks formed, but Iris only made it worse. MB wasn't about to take that from her.

"Wrong Iris…! I've known Key since we were in Penguin School and there's way more to him that just his voice! That's the problem; everyone here only thinks of a penguin because of their singing, all of you should really look under the surface of the penguin and like someone for something other than how well you sound together! I can sing, maybe not as well some of these other girls, but I know a penguin worth having as a friend…or even as a mate when I see one!" The echoing of her voice cracked the ice further.

"Are you saying you'd have Key as your mate if you had to?" Iris became steadfast, crossing her flippers, like she knew MB was about to embarrass herself.

"If I had to…? I would pick him out of a crowd in a heartbeat, willingly! He's a sheltering penguin, he watched over me when no one else did, we became friends, and he's still the most protective, guardian-like penguin I know! That's a quality that's hard to find in mates, and I'm lucky to know someone who has that! This makes him better than the rest of you on the one level that truly matters. Not the voice…THE HEART!" MB yelled the last part, and the vibrations it created shook the ice wall to its foundations.

The wall cracked one final time, the ground shook, and all the attention in the area was directed towards the fractured wall. Everyone there saw the splits increase in size and speed, and the wall of ice was getting weaker and weaker, soon enough, someone had the common sense to yell, "Everybody run…!" To which the entire graduate class scattered as the wall began to fall, crushing everything under its ghostly shadow. MB shuttered and stood still, petrified at what she had caused, but Key pushed her over to bring her back, he had to yell because the sound of the ice breaking was booming over anything else.

"What are you doing MB?! Get up…run!" To which she continued to lie on the ground and stared at the ice around her,

"No…not run…slide…" She said and turned around onto her belly and looked at Key to do the same. Together they gave each other starting pushes and picked up speed, rapidly speeding away, out of the radius of the falling ice wall. Once safely out of the way, the two turned around to see a number of young penguins still not out of the way, there's no way they'd clear the wall in time. Through the noise that drowned out their gasps at what was happening, they heard the students scream and fall over because of the gravitational force that was pulling the ice down.

"GET DOWN…!" Key screamed at MB and threw himself on her and knocked her over, his flipper covering her head and his other flipper covering his own. MB's flippers were concealed to try and protect her chest as she waited for the impact.

Key turned and watched the wall draw closer to hitting the ground and stole a last look at the remaining students who hadn't gotten out of the way. With their last facial expressions permanently wedged into his mind, he turned away and whispered, "I'm sorry…" To them, knowing they couldn't hear him. The titan wall smashed into the ground, sending shock waves of power all around the area and caused the whole nation to shake and break the icy ground for hundreds of meters around. The students who had been near the crash were blown back by the wind cloud that formed when the ice finally hit and threw all of them back. After the impact, Key and MB were covered in an icy powder like snow, and once the shockwaves were gone, and the noise had stopped, he picked up his head, to see nothing around him. His whole sight was clouded by a layer of mist he guessed came from more powdered snow, and very eerie like fog was what it looked like.

He looked around some more without standing up and started to hear voices. "Keary…! Maria Bella…!" It was the voice of Pudge, which was a voice he knew by heart.

"Pudge…!" Key yelled back, to which he heard Pudge yell,

"It came from over here…" He said and then Key saw a silhouette form in the mist and Pudge, followed by Leo, finally arrived by their sides and dusted the powder snow off their shaking bodies. "Whew…Great Guin that was close…" Pudge said and helped his friend to his feet. Key groaned as he stood up.

"Thanks guys…" He thanked them, "I was worried you two hadn't made it out." But Leo was more than ready to answer that.

"Ha…! We saw that ice start cracking as soon as MB and Iris began fighting. We didn't wanna take any chances, so we moved away…but I gotta say…I never thought that whole wall would come down." Leo, along with Pudge, had guessed the wall was unstable, but not so unstable as to completely break and fall off. "Truth be told, I'm just happy you're okay." Leo said to his friend, afterwards MB stood back up.

"Are you okay?" Key asked her, she was very shaken as to what just happened, but the reality of the event was undeniable.

"I'll be fine…but what about the others?" MB pointed out, and all four of them looked towards the direction of the fallen wall, the mist was fading, and they dreaded what they might see next.

**Chapter 2, and the plot thickens, who's dead? Who's going to be punished? And what is going to happen next in general? Just read some more and find out. Don't answer those questions, and review the whole story, not a chapter at a time. And that song was one of my originals, "One Precious Night". And I paid attention to all the other judges' reviews, here's one of the emotional bricks to the head, it wasn't too soon was it? Stay in touch everyone!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You don't know how much time has passed since that last chapter and this one, I wrote that like a month ago and I'm back at the last minute. That's what I get for being lazy. Whatever…there'll be a synopsis at the end of the story for those who didn't get it, but you should.**

Northern Stars

Chapter 3

As the mist cleared, it was decided among the friends that they didn't want to see what was there, but one of them couldn't help but look anyway. MB, Pudge, and Leo all turned around and did their best to walk in the other direction and avoid looking back, but Key stayed where he was and waited for his vision to clear out. The others were gone by the time he could see, and all that was left was just an enormous amount of shattered ice, fragments everywhere, but not penguins were seen, and no blood was stained on the ice either, even though all of the survivors knew that it was under the wreckage. Unable to shake a feeling of guilt from within him, all Key did was turn his back on the area and go home, it was the only thing any student that lived could do. There was no sense looking for their friends, for they either lived or they didn't, it was simple as that.

Hours later, after the whole nation took the event in and the natives were informed of who made it out okay and who didn't, MB sat at home, replaying the whole fight with Iris in her head. It was her fault, she knew it, her screams caused the ice to crack and make the wall unstable. The entire class was almost obliterated because of her and her big beak. MB's parents were relived beyond words to hear she was okay and made it home safe, but when disaster strikes, family is never enough. MB wasn't doing anything except thinking, so when she was lying there in her home and heard footsteps approaching, she ignored it and let them come, whoever they were.

"MB…?" It was Key. MB opened her eyes, as she was thinking with them closed, ad turned to Key. "I hear the Elders are looking into the incident…you know…to find out the cause. Are you worried that they'll come for you?" He asked her.

"No…with all that's happened…I'd be surprised if anyone is even able to talk about it besides us. Looks like our wits saved us, but I also think it was just luck." As she spoke, Key walked in and sat down next to her.

"I agree…I heard Iris didn't make it. But I guess I'm better off without her if she's going to treat me like that. Also, I never really got to thank you for standing up for me like that. It was really brave…and you really think I'd be a good mate to someone?" MB tilted her head towards Key in confusion.

"Are you joking Key? Of course I meant that, you'd be a perfect mate to anyone girl that would have you. And the ones that won't…well, that's their loss. I'm lucky just to know you…and the other thing I said is true. If I had a crowd of boys to pick a mate out of, it'd be you, no question." Key smiled and blushed under his feathers, his shy nature came through, but he still managed to take the comment to his heart.

A few minutes of just resting after their brief talk, two more penguins walked into the home. One of the penguins looked at MB, it was her mother. MB and Key both got to their feet and gave the two penguins their attention. "Maria…" Her mother started, but her tone didn't sound friendly, "You're needed in the center area…" It was a horrid tone, a judgmental tone. MB began to worry, and followed her mother out the door, not having time to look back at Key.

Key, worried for his friend threw a barrage of questions at the other penguins, none of which he answered. The other penguin only stared at the graduate with lazy eyes and said, "Where she's being taken isn't important, all you need to know is that she's going to get what she deserves." And he left, Key was frozen. MB was about to get blamed in front of the whole nation for the majority of deaths for that generation, something he couldn't let happen. Key had a plan, but he need to get to her judgment, with or without Pudge and Leo. Pulling his nerves together, he took off to where he had seen MB go with her mother.

The nation had gathered to that one spot, everyone was there, all the Elders faced the young Emperor on the ground, and all eyes were on her. The whispers weren't good, and before another word was spoken, one of the Elders came forth. "Citizens of the Empire of the Emperor, before you is a single, lovely young lady who has survived the terrible accident earlier today. Many of our children were lost, and yet some survived, but those who did managed to tell us the only thing we wanted to know. We wanted to know who was responsible, and the only penguin named…was Maria Bella of the Light Foot family. Maria Bella…do you deny these accusations?"

MB faced the entire nation, she thought this over, and she knew what she had to do to make it right. "No I don't…it was my yelling that cracked the wall. I made the wall come down…"

"Do you wish to plead?" The same Elder said.

"In your dreams…" MB said very seriously to him, making everyone boo her and chant against her name. Now on the Elders' bad side, the decision was unanimous.

"Well…with this confession, and your disrespectful attitude, we hereby charge you with the deaths of dozens of young graduates, destruction of the Empire's main stage, one of the highest possible crimes here…we agree there's only one punishment for such acts. Banishment…" The crowd murmured, they seemed to approve; MB didn't care what her parents thought, like they had a say in it anyway. "This order will be executed…immediately…" And the Elder pointed her away, and the entire crowd parted, giving her almost a pathway leading out into the world, away from her home. Sighing, knowing there was nothing she could do, MB was about take her first step, but a new voice caught the nation's attention.

"WAIT…!" It was Key; everyone turned and saw him run into the opening to MB's side. "I caused it! It was truly me! I was the one who sang the song that made Iris and MB get into a fight, it was really my fault…banish me…" But MB was fear struck.

"Key…no…what are you doing…" He looked at her,

"I'm looking after my friend…" And she felt her heart drop, he said friend, but both of them knew he meant something else. The Elder raised an eyelid and turned to MB.

"Maria Bella…is what he says true?" There was no lying to an Elder.

"Well…technically yes…but he…" The 'yes' was all they heard.

"Then it's settled, Keary of the Narrow Beak family, you are to go into banishment in Maria's place for the death of most of your class and destruction of the main stage, also effective immediately, now…be gone…" And he was ordered out. Key started walking, knowing this plan ended this way, but MB wasn't so reluctant to let him go.

"Key you can't do this…" She started whining, not wanting him to go. "I need you here with me…"

"I wish I could've stayed with you too, and I wish I had spent more time with you. I've been blind…but now it's too late." Key grasped her flipper and held it tight, and she grasped it too. "Take care of the others for me, I'll miss them. But…I'll always think of you…" And he pulled away, letting go of her flipper and waddling off into the arctic wastelands of his home.

MB stood there, petrified and heart swelling. There was no way she'd be able to live with this, her best friend, and her lifelong love was walking away, and she never got the chance to tell him how she felt. The crowd left, feeling satisfied the one penguin that caused it got their just deserts, but Pudge and Leo walked up behind MB. Their expressions were made of sadness, and no tears flowed from their eyes.

"I…I never even got to say goodbye…" Pudge said; the three watched Key walk off, their hearts growing smaller with each step he took.

Key couldn't bring himself to look back, it'd hurt too much. All he could do was face front and sing. The song he felt was born from his depression, and it felt like one of his truer, most pure songs. It almost felt like it was his heartsong, not the one he'd been singing for years. **(Reflection of Your Footprints)**

Key: _As you walk away, as I feel the pain_

_The only thing that I can think_

_Is how much I've messed up_

_I tried to stay on track, and I did my very best_

_But what do you do when everything you have_

_Is just not enough?_

They didn't hear him, he was too far away. MB and the other only watched until he was out of sight, and even then they couldn't move. Once the night had come and the group was beginning to get cold, Maria felt herself begin to sing too. It was her true heartsong, also born from sorrow and the tragic feeling of loss. **(Down With My Heart)**

MB: _The very first time never even happened_

_Only in my head, outside I was afraid of everything_

_And weak bursts of light guided my way, yet still not enough_

_I was blind, I was dumb, I was foolish to try to run_

_You slipped through my eyes like the wind_

_And now my heart is sinking like the sun at night_

Key didn't hear her either, he was too far away. The two friends next to MB weren't moving, they were listening with all their being, giving more moral support than ever. Key kept singing his song to the cold air, knowing full well no one heard him.

Key: _I need to find a light, something with water_

_Because then my tears, they won't be noticed by me_

_And I need to face my ice, or maybe just a crystal_

_Anything within a reflection of yourself_

_Because at least then you'd be coming back to me_

MB's song began to overlap his.

MB: _My heart is falling down like how the ice melts_

_My mind is slipping away with grief with that blow which has been dealt_

_No questions that I want to hear could bring me back to life_

_For my heart has already been dragged down, down, down_

And without realizing it, they began to sing together.

Key: _I need a mirror of myself_

MB: _I need some saving grace_

Key: _Be the sight I seek_

MB: _Oh, I'll love you while a watch I'll keep_

Key: _But I'll need a reflection of your footprints_

MB: _At least then you'll be coming back to me_

Key kept walking, MB and the other went home, but in MB's mind, this was far from over. She's get Key back, she had to, she couldn't live without him. Her mind was set, and her heart spoke for her, she would find a way to get him to come home, with or without her friend's assistance.

**I copied MyWayWriter's technique for doing songs, don't worried I asked, he said it was okay. So now you've seen that he's not the only one who can do original songs here, I give myself an award. But that's only chapter three, and if you've been wondering why this is rated M, you'll find out soon, just use your imagination. **

**Songs used:**

**Reflection of Your Footprints**

**Down With My Heart**

**Peace out, stay in touch everyone! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I just finished Chapter 3, I'm writing these back to back. Not something easy I'll tell you, never try it. That synopsis I mention was written beforehand, so it already exists. I really have nothing to say this time around, just keep reading and judging Key, he'll become a White One, I'm sure of it! And I'm listening to "Never Give Up" by Whitney Houston while typing this, RIP, we love you Whitney!**

Northern Stars

Chapter 4

The land was harsh, the temperature was brutal, and the wind whipped like a slave driver. The nights got colder and colder, and the days grew shorter, he hadn't eaten, he barely slept, and the energy inside him was running low. Key fought, and he kept on fighting, doing his best to beat the odds, knowing fully well that if conditions didn't get any better, his gravestone would be carved early. Without warning, a massive wind blew him back, he didn't know how many meters, but he got right back up and kept moving forward. By this point, he didn't care about anything, he didn't care about his friends, he didn't care about home or MB, or even if he'd ever find a mate, all he thought about was how to survive.

Time and time again he wanted to just collapsed and give up, but his heart wouldn't let him, he didn't know why. It made him get up, it pushed him forward. He'd lost track of the days, even though he was sure it'd only been a few. One night, when the moon shined brightly down on the Emperor, and the snow was gentle, he felt almost relaxed, and he figure it was a good chance to find a place to sleep. Most of the time he'd been resting on open arctic plains, but for the past few days Key had been constantly passing jagged ice formations and split ups in the ice; he noticed one that looked like it had a decent sized open space in it. With little question, in his mind, the Emperor saw it as an omen to not quit and take shelter. He went inside and waited out the night, it was just big enough for him to fit.

In the morning, he got up, left, and just kept walking. The sun was shining brightly that day, and the snowfall ceased. To Key, it was a beautiful day to spend with friends, for he had regained his confidence and began to think about home and his friends. The air felt warmer, and the essence of life was back with him, even though he hadn't eaten in days. As he kept walking, he looked far into the distance and saw a rather large chain of mountains and glaciers across yet another large ice field. Not being able to cross it in a day, Key waddled up to the edge of white plain and tried to estimate the size. It looked like it'd take a number of hours, but it was nothing he couldn't handle at the moment. As he smiled, knowing what he'd be doing tomorrow, he heard a solid object tumble down off of the ice formation surrounding him. He spun around, knowing fully well it could only be another bird, as any kind of seal didn't live in this area. The fear he had was welling, but he thought he caught a glimpse of black, and then he got angry.

"Maria Bella…why are you following me…?" He asked toward a smaller ice form, but it was moments later that a very familiar face stepped out from behind the ice, MB.

"I couldn't let you leave Key…I came to try and convince you to come home."

"First of all, I'd be thrown right back out if I did…and second…how did you follow me through all that back there? I faced blizzards, cold nights, lack of food, and yet you still are here." He was curious, but still mad that he was followed by her.

"You've been through some tough stuff Key, but I just had to follow you. I knew I'd be in danger if I tried, but it didn't stop me. Finding you was worth risking my life, and I'd do it again."

That was one of the most touching things anyone had ever said to Key, he really felt moved on the inside because of her words. "MB…why would you want me to come home…?"

It was a deeply personal question, it sounded selfish, but MB picked up the hidden meaning in the question, and she was boiling with stress to answer. "I wanted you to come home…so that you…could come home…to me…"

Key looked straight at her; they were meters apart, far out of each other's reach. Key felt himself begin to walk to her, starting to raise his flipper to embrace, her, and MB smiled and quickly moved towards him to get into his flippers. She got closer and closer, and threw herself into his flippers and hugged him; the first time in her life she did it with such emotion. She'd never hugged anyone like that before, not even her Mama or Pa, it was an embrace that made long forgotten emotions bloom inside her heart like a moonflower. MB began to start crying, and pulled him closer and tighter. Key was also, squeezing her warmly and securely, and he too was developing tears in his eyes, some of which fully formed and fell down off his face and onto the ground. Key knew he was crying, and he knew in his heart that he'd go home to her anywhere, anytime.

"I'd go home to you in a heartbeat, maybe faster…" Key said, not loosening his hold on her one bit.

"I needed to you back Key, you're more than a friend to me…so much more…" Key knew what was coming, and MB was the first to say it. Still inside Key's flippers, with her own tears flowing with happiness that she found him, she said the three words he'd wanted to hear his whole life, "I love you…"

"I love you too MB…with my heartsong on the line and with the Great Guin as my witness, I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner. I'd travel across the ice and back just to go home to you, and then some." Neither showed any signs of wanting to let go, but the winds of Antarctica made them both shutter. Key let up a bit on his grip and looked up; gray clouds were moving in, snowfall was imminent. "MB…" And she looked up too, she gasped.

"We have to find shelter…I can't freeze to death, not now…" She said and smiled at Key, knowing now that she had a rekindled flame inside her soul, and that Key would be her flipper to swim from here on out.

"I can't die now either…let's find someplace to take cover…"

And the two walked side by side, looking under and between every ice formation nearby for an opening or an overhanging drop over big enough for the two of them. When the snow began to start falling, they spotted a fairly large crack in the ice that had a large formation hanging over it, acting as a roof and an archway leading in. The ice wall in the back was covered by the crack in the ground, and it was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. Key let MB go in first, and he followed right after. Once in, they both sat down and leaned up against the back wall. MB turned over on her side and put her flippers across Key's chest and pulled him in. He accepted the embrace and pulled her closer to him, sharing their warmth and cuddling together for the first time.

"I love that way you do that…Maria Bella…" He told her, using her full name. She looked up from her comfortable position and grinned. Getting warmer by the second, MB moved up and placed her head on his chest and rested their.

"And I love when you call me that…Keary…"

"It sounds pretty coming out of you…" Key said.

"Well then, I'll just have to keep calling you that. Is that okay?" She loved him so much, and she loved his real name, but she just wanted to be sure.

"Of course MB…and I'll keep calling you Maria Bella…you know that that's a beautiful name…" And Key leaned his head back up against the ice wall and tried his best to rest while the snowfall increased. It was there they both fell asleep, both in the comfort of each other and both ready for what would come next, no matter what it was.

**So that's what it looks like to write two chapters back to back. Not easy like I said, but I think I earned another reward. Geez my fingers are tried and sore, but I'm still listening to "Never Give Up", so thank you Whitney for the inspirational background music. No songs this time around, but there will be a certain event next time around, just be watchful. Stay in touch everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Does anyone like Rascal Flatts? I know I do! No Whitney this time around, and for the record, it's 1:00 AM in the morning. I have tons of school work to do during the day, so I have to write at night or early in the morning. I can't believe I'm going to get this done on time.**

Northern Stars

Chapter 5

_The night is on her feathers, and the midnight sky shines in her eyes. Her voice is a lilt of an angel's, and her heart is more pure than the waters in which we swim. _He slept, but not very well, thoughts of Maria Bella kept him asleep, but soon enough, it just wasn't enough. The night was only about halfway over, and his eyelids felt like they raised themselves up to be accompanied by moonlight. Away, but not entirely alive yet, Keary blinked a few times to try and get his senses working again. As a whole, it was no use. He yawned, making his beak stretch far and then close again. Keary then inhaled deeply and looked outside, the moon shown on the snow, and inside their shelter it was being reflected. He looked down to see his love resting her head on his chest, and though he didn't want to disturb her, his inner thoughts told him to get up. Gently moving her head off of him and placing it on a block of ice to simulate the comfort, Keary got up and leaned over to her and gave her a kiss on the head. "I love you…" He whispered and then walked to the entrance of the shelter.

The whole scene he saw was still, no motion, no action, nothing. It was just a regular night. He kept staring, and he also kept calling himself Keary now. It was something that the penguin had never done before, he had always been called Key, by his friends, by his parents, and suddenly, he felt like he wanted to go by Keary again. It may have just been because of Maia Bella loving his name and wanting to call him that, but whatever the reason, he knew what his name was, and he wasn't going to take that away with mental power, which was telling him it wasn't right. He stood there by the opening, just thinking, not doing a thing while the night passed before his eyes.

A few minutes passed until Maria Bella finally shook awake because of Keary's lack of presence under her head as a pillow. She looked up and saw him by the front, worried and concerned, she got up and walked next to him. He didn't move, or even acknowledge her being there, but she knew he knew. "Having trouble sleeping…?" She asked him.

"Yeah…don't know why…I just am…"

"What's going through your head?" She asked him again, hoping to be able to help him out.

"Well…first I was thinking about you, then Pudge, then Leo, then home…and now…all I can think about is what'll happen when we make it over those mountains." This made Maria Bella surprised that he wanted to try and scale the mountains and glaciers, but she figured that now that she was here with him, he had no reason to go back, even if Pudge and Leo were there.

"I don't know what'll happen then…but at least I'll still have you when we reach the other side." She said, smiling and placing a flipper on his shoulder, and leaning against him.

"I feel so stupid…" Maria Bella looked up to him, and he was smiling, but shaking his head too. "You holding me like this, having you by my side as a lover and as a friend at the same time…it feels so right. Like some all-powerful force has just given me a much needed slap in the face."

Maria Bella used her other flipper to turn his head towards her, they then both stared at each other, and Maria Bella had all her words in mind. "It's called love Keary…"

"I know that…love is like ice…you have to keep a careful watch on it, or it shall melt and soon it will fade away completely. And yet other times, it breaks before it melts, shattering into dozens on pieces, but perhaps it's better to leave it broken…then to get yourself hurt trying to put it back together. Either way, love is still just like the ocean…it's there, and we don't always notice it, but it's there and we need it to survive. Everyone needs love to survive from someone…"

"Who's that someone for you…?" Maria knew it was a dumb question to ask, but some part of her wanted to ask, just to be sure.

"For me…that someone would have to be not only a lover, but a friend. One who already knows you, who cares about you unconditionally…someone exactly like you Maria Bella…" She smiled and hugged him again, and he returned the embrace.

"I think I finally found my perfect man…and he was under my beak the whole time. I'm sorry Keary…I know we've never fought or anything, but we still have so much to do and…"

"Maria…" And he stopped her, "A couple who never fights isn't a couple at all. When it comes to relationships, it's not about sharing everything you have in common; sometimes disagreements and fights can be good. The basis for a good love or even a good mate-ship is taking what you don't have in common, and treating it respectfully. And now that I think about it…while we're on the subject of mate-ship…there's something I forgot to ask you before." Maria Bella pulled up her head out of her hug and looked to him. "Now that we're out here, and probably never going home…it would be a lot easier to survive out here if I had a mate…someone I'd promise to always be there for…no matter what the predicament…" Maria Bella was speechless, it was almost like he'd just proposed marriage to her through code. "If I was to ask a certain penguin that…what would she say?"

"She'd say yes, I'm sure of it." Keary smiled, "So why don't you ask her?"

"Who said I didn't?"

And the two pulled close, and gave each other a penguin kiss, rubbing their neck together and then nuzzling their beaks against one another. "I hate to be the one to say it…but if I'm to become your mate…we have to…do something else…"

"I know…" Keary said pulling out of the kissing motions. "I didn't say we had to become mates right now…but if you'd want that…I could manage…"

"I want that…" Maria Bella said and walked back further into the cave, starting to act seductively.

Keary smiled a thievish grin, and waddled after he excited and nervous. Maria Bella turned to her side and made her front face the side of the inside of the shelter, and she got down on her belly, legs spread and closing her eyes. Keary walked behind her and put his feet on her back and climbed on top as he was supposed to. Soon after he heard her groan a little, the extra weight was new, and it might hurt her if it lasted too long. For her sake, Keary sped up the process and joined their sensitive area together with one swift motion. Like a needle being stuck through her back, Maria Bella jolted a little at the contact he made. Gasping a few breaths and trying to remain calm at the reality of what they were doing, Maria picked her head up and tried her best to look back at Keary.

"What are you waiting for Keary? You know how awkward this feels." She was thrilled to become mates with Keary, she just wished it didn't have to be this way, after being friend for years, there was no stranger position she saw herself in with him.

"It doesn't feel awkward to me…in fact…I like it." Keary was completely honest with her. He felt his body wanting to act in ways he'd never done before, and though he knew it was instinct and that it was completely natural, he still wanted to do his very best and join them as mates in the most loving way.

Beginning with a gentle rub, the pleasure began. Maria Bella took back her statement about it feels awkward, for suddenly she didn't feel the wait of him on her back and instead felt nothing but the sensation of his love making. Friction built up between the two, and their lower areas got far warmer than their hearts did, the moaning could be heard from outside, it was a good thing no one was around. But penguins aren't meant to stay this way, and they both felt the end drawing near rapidly. Keary quickly grabbed her sides and rubbed fiercely, trying to make the best of the end. Maria Bella was pressing her head against the ground, tongue hanging and pounding the ice with her flipper, it was like she needed more in this last bit. Keary was panting, he almost thought he felt sweat too; seconds passed, and it came, the utopia of all feeling in the body, the miracle of creating life with another individual.

He spilled all of himself into her body, sealing them as mates at long last. She screamed, the flowing of his liquid was a new feeling, something she enjoyed far more than she ever thought she would. As soon as Keary felt he was empty of his release, he fell back, gasping and trying to catch his breath. Maria Bella didn't move, she couldn't, not after all the new shocks coursing through her body, circulating through her being, and then gone the next second as fast as they arrived. Keary managed to drag himself over to her side and put his flipper over her back and pulled her in against his side. The mating over and out of the way, Keary smiled and closed his eyes, surely he'd have no trouble sleeping now.

"Thank goodness…" Maria Bella said, "I didn't know how much more I could take. I'm just glad it's over…I've never felt so weird in my life."

"I haven't either, but I still loved it. Besides, if you look at the big picture, we're officially mates now, and I love you…"

"I love you too Keary…thanks for everything. Now, let's sleep this off and face the world tomorrow, as mates…" Keary nodded, and remained on his belly next to her. It was there, on their stomachs that they both fell asleep, this time without a single care.

**I really don't give a damn about what you think about that. This is my entry; I may do what I want. It's now 2:42 AM, so I'm calling it a night. Stay in touch everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6

**It may be a little bit longer this time around, as I have a lot to cover before the end of the story. I'm writing this on Thursday, and I still have this plus three other chapters to go. That is the last time I dawdle on plot and then act it out so it's easier to write. Maybe next time I should just make it shorter.**

Northern Stars

Chapter 6

The sun's rays crept into the shelter that held the couple for the night, although even the shelter didn't want to see what had happened. Two penguins, one male, one female, joined together as mates as long as they'd live, sweet though, by every marriage had one enormous by-product, the egg. The egg however wasn't on the minds of the new couple; instead, something else was on Keary's mind. He knew he was dreaming, he could feel as if he was floating away from his body into some parallel world beyond their own. It was there he saw things, predators, friends, family, and among other things; he also saw his mew mate, Maria Bella, or as he had previously called her MB.

He saw her running to him, and the space between them was open and plain, but suddenly an ice shard erupted from beneath and blew them apart from one another, to which the massive ice shards began to fall, on her side too. Keary couldn't bear to watch, and his voce had been snatched by the suddenness of the event. He heard her scream, and then the shockwave came from the impact on the ice…

"NO…!" He screamed himself, waking up and thrashing about. He also startled Maria Bella, causing her to be abruptly woken as well.

"Keary…? What's wrong?!" She said worried for her new mate. He was panting, but not gasping, frightened, but not petrified.

"Promise me something…" He started,

"Anything…"

"When the time comes, if danger should ever come our way…I want you to get out of the way. Keep away from all the problems, that way you'll be safe." His request was simple, yet still powerful.

"Yes, of course." Her answer soothed him, now he knew for sure.

"Good…and I'll promise you to always be by your side…I have a feeling our lives are about to get harder…"

"Why would you say that?" Maria Bella asked him curiously, wondering what could possibly make their lives hard now that they were together.

"Key…! MB…!" They heard from outside. Someone was calling them, and Keary turned to Maria Bella with a sarcastic look,

"Just a feeling…"

They went outside the shelter and looked around, no one was there. "Hello…?" Maria Bella called out.

"MB…? Is that you?" It was a voice both of them recognized, none other than Leo. One thing that they knew about Leo is that wherever Leo was found, Pudge was close behind. "Where are you guys? I'm over here!" And they walked around to the ice plain that had the mountains on the other side and looked around in a circular motion, as it turns out, they saw two black specs going back towards their late home. The way they saw it, Leo and Pudge must've been following them from the same direction.

"Over here…!" Keary yelled and waved his flippers.

"I see them…! I see them…they're over there!" Pudge hollered with joy and made Leo spin around to face their friends.

Everyone rushed towards one another, each of them giving everyone else a big hug. Keary was thrilled to see his friends, and so was Maria Bella, both were now in love, and the fact that their friends were here made it even better. "I can't believe it you guys! What are you doing here?"

"Are you kidding dude?" Pudge exclaimed, "We're all pals, and I figure that best friends belong together. If you go somewhere, we go with you, no ifs, ands, or buts about it." Keary and Maria Bella were stunned at their friends following them like that, but at the same time, they were truly grateful and thrilled at the same time.

"You guys are so stupid…" Keary said jokingly, "But we love you anyway."

"We love you guys too…" Said Leo, "Now that that's out of the way, where are we going?"

The two penguins looked to their friends, but weren't sure how to tell them, they had discussed it at some point, and both knew where they were headed, they just weren't sure how to break it to Pudge and Leo. "Well…" Began Keary, "We're going…there…" He said and pointed behind them towards the mountains across the plain.

"There…? Why there…?" Pudge asked, not understanding Leo's thinking.

"I have no idea…" Keary said back, and Leo figured as much.

"Of course…typical Key…let's go then…" And Leo walked past them and headed straight. Pudge shrugged his shoulder and followed him. Keary and Maria looked at each other and smiled, giggling at their friends and headed after them.

They were making great time crossing the plain, it looked to be about halfway from what they saw. Pudge and Leo were walking next to each other speaking to one another about something, while Keary and Maria walked ahead of them. It was about then that Maria had a question for Keary, but she wasn't sure how he'd react. "Um…Keary…?" She said shyly.

"What…?"

"Do you think we should tell Pudge and Leo about…us? I mean they're our friends, and they have the right to know."

It was a question that threw Keary off guard; he hadn't considered speaking to Pudge and Leo about that, as he figured it wasn't so important at the moment. He figured the only important thing was that they were all together now, but Maria had a point, a point which might have been risky. "I think we should wait…after all, they just found us. Hearing about that would be…sudden and probably shocking."

"I understand…but we'll have to tell them sooner or later."

"I know that…"

They looked back at the other two, and they were still talking about something, and Maria Bella chuckled. "They're still so stupid…"

"Yes they are…" Keary agreed in a very friendly way.

The sun was almost set by the time the finally reached the foot of the mountain and the glaciers, and everyone was tired and hungry, but neither of those things could be helped at the moment. They all looked up and saw what they were up against, and none of them liked what they saw. "We're screwed…" Leo said blatantly out loud.

"No we're not…we have a chance." Keary told him, thinking that this couldn't be as hard as it looks. He looked at the surrounding glaciers and saw that there was two paths, one going up into the glacier, and one going down beneath it. "Alright here's what we'll do, MB…" He said to her to try and cover up their courtship, "You'll come with me on the lower path…Leo…do you think you and Pudge can handle the tall path over the glacier while we go under it?"

"In my sleep…!" Leo boasted out, which was something Pudge normally did, not Leo.

"Alright, we'll meet up on the other side, this will give us a good idea which path to follow up the mountain. Come on MB…" And she went to his side as the two started on the path going down while the other two began on the path going up.

From the bottom path, it was fascinating walking through a glacier. All the ice walls reflected you, and it was usually warmer in there than it was outside. There also many cracks and dents in the walls surrounding the main path, but all glaciers had those. All glaciers had a series of tunnels inside them from melting and moving around, and this one was no exception. Aside from the chilling echo whenever someone spoke, Keary and Maria liked it, it was a very different experience.

"I know why you did what you did back there…" She said to him.

"I'm sorry about that, I wasn't thinking."

"No it's okay I understand…" Her sentence was ended with the sound of rocks falling from behind them, which made Keary turn around and only saw some ice falling off the walls and onto the floor. He kept walking and heard something again, this time it sounded like a tapping noise, to which he turned around, but the noise stopped.

"I'm not crazy, you hear it too right?"

"I don't hear it…I see it…" Maria said and spun Keary around. In front of them was a rather old looking Emperor penguin. He wasn't talking, he wasn't moving, he was only looking at them.

"Um…hello…? Where you come from? Are you lost?" Keary tried to ask.

"I'm not long…" His voice was extremely raspy, "But you will regret being!" He yelled the last part and the whole glacier felt like it moved. "NOW…!" The penguin shouted, to which dozens of Emperor penguins shot out of the other holes in the glacier and from underneath the snow. Several ran in from the front and back and had the two completely cornered. They all were carrying rocks in their flippers, sharp rocks, assuming to be used as weapons.

"Whoa…!" Keary said to everyone and making Maria get behind him. "What's going on here?"

A much younger looking penguin stepped up from behind the old one and dropped his rocks. "We live in these mountains, and you are trespassing. I'm the chief of security around here, and I got the word you were coming from a mile away. I'm to take you to our leader, but that's a punishment in and of itself." And the penguins around, and everyone moved, poking the two mates in order to get them moving.

"Their leader…is this some sort of cult?" Keary asked Maria Bella, but a penguin behind him answered.

"Yes…we are, and we're proud to be so…" And he poked Keary, making him move quicker towards the mountain.

**Only three chapters left and then this story will be over, geez I'm freaking out at how close this is! Stay in touch everyone! **


	7. Chapter 7

**I care not for an introduction this time, just read! This is also the real base design MyWayWriter's going to use, I asked him.**

Northern Stars

Chapter 7

It was well into the night by the time that they reach the location of the HQ of the cult. For some reason it was halfway up the mountain with no easy to go pathways of any kind. Keary and Maria had a very hard time making up, as they still hadn't had any food or water prior to them leaving Empire of the Emperor. Every time they felt over or moved too slow, some penguin with rocks poked them to get up, usually not nicely too. Once they were told they had made it, it looked like nothing but a dead end, with tons of snow surrounding them. It was a pointless crack in the side of the mountain where they had been put.

"What's the big idea? This doesn't go anywhere!" Keary said to his captors.

"Oh…but it does…" Said the Chief of Security; and he whistled, which echoed through the little crevasse. It was then that the tons of snow surrounding them was pushed off the top of the ledge above by something and raised up everyone to the same level as the ledges. It was a very elaborate system they had worked out, and once they were up and safely on the snow, Keary and Maria couldn't believe their eyes.

It was a real working home base, and not just for penguins, for skuas, seals, and other creatures. The birds who could fly acted as messengers flying around the base and the seals acted as guards for prison cell. At one point, Keary saw there was another path leading up further into the mountains past all this other commotion, and sure enough, they were poked to start moving after having their little sightseeing session. They walked through the base, it was bigger than just that one area which the entered, it continued up the mountain side. In the next area there was a big slide going down the slope of the mountain, and Keary saw someone push someone down it, but they were screaming and he didn't know why. Maria Bella saw one penguin yelling at a much smaller penguin about food and knowing your place, she assumed it was an Adelie. There were numerous floor going up they passed, but once they reached the last floor they only saw two things. One, they saw one Emperor penguin standing in the center surrounded by a few other penguins, and two the saw a small ice shelter behind all of them, which Maria assumed was the home of the guy in charge.

The chief of security stopped moving, "Hail…sir…!" And he saluted to the penguins in the center talking to the other one.

"Will you leave me be for a moment…?" The center penguin requested, to which the other penguins left the area and the only ones left were the penguins, Keary, Maria Bella, and guards that had escorted them here. "What do we have here? Mates I'm guessing? And you both look so young too…" The penguins said, to which the chief walked up to him. "Mortus sir…nice to see you...we caught these two passing through our glacier. I figure if I stopped them you'd do the rest like you always do."

"A correct assumption my friend…" Mortus, that was the creepiest name Keary had ever heard, just the sound of it made it sound evil. Mortus patted his friend on the shoulder and walked up to Keary. "You seem like you've been through a lot. But yet, I sense there's something about you I could use…maybe this won't end so badly for you."

"Me…! You mean us! By this point, my friends are probably already back in the Empire looking for help." Mortus smirked, "You won't hold u here for long Mortus."

"Friends…you mean these friends…?" And Mortus whistled again and two big penguins came out of the shelter behind him, and in their flippers were Pudge and Leo. Unable to escape from the bigger penguins' grips on their own flippers, Pudge and Leo were forced to move to their co-operation.

"Pudge…Leo…!" Maria screamed. Mortus laughed, knowing he had their hearts in thrall.

"Sorry guys…" Pudge said to them, "At least we met up on the other side like you wanted." It was a desperately needed joke to be told at the time.

"Now that that's out of the way…" Mortus said, "Who here is the leader of this little group?" Without thinking, just acting on instinct, Keary spoke out first.

"I am…what do you want with me?" It was an attempt to protect his friends, but Mortus was smarter than that.

"You are…? Really…?" He said in a sarcastic tone, "Well then in that case…" And he gestured with his flipper to the chief of security, to which he got behind Maria and grabbed her flippers and held her like the other penguins were doing with the others. He moved over to where Pudge and Leo were and lined up with them, making Keary face all three of them like a slave driver. "They say a leader knows best…so in your best interest…who do you think should stay?"

"I'm in charge Mortus, just take me…let them go!"

"Oh I'll let them go, in fact I'll be so generous as to let two of them go, you have the misfortunate of making one of them stay." It was a sick and twisted code; he just said he'd pick one of his friends, and the other two would be killed.

Keary understood the code immediately, and he was dreading the whole thing. There was no way he could possibly pick between his mate and his two best friends. He stood there, thinking, panicking, struggling, and all sorts of stressed emotions. No decision was being made, and Pudge was sure that if he didn't pick they'd all be killed. He figured it was time to make him pick, so that's exactly what Pudge did.

"Look dude…! We know…!" Pudge yelled to Keary, "We know about you and MB. We know you guys as mates now, and we're happy for you, we were betting on it. Pick her, you can live life without two friends, but you can't live life without a wife!" He then turned his attention to Mortus, "Mortus…I volunteer to be one that's going to be let go…will you give me that?" Pudge requested, but Mortus seemed to actually like this idea.

"Very well then…Pudge is it? Since you seem so keen on letting them stay together, I'll let you do as you wish, so long as…Leo over there…agrees."

"I do…" Leo said, "MB…" Leo said to her, "Next time you mate, don't be so loud about it. We heard you guys doing it." To Keary and Maria both blushed crimson and turned away, embarrassed and humiliated in front of a bad man.

"Ha…! Oh that's a good one Leo…!" Mortus started. "Alright fair enough, Pudge…Leo, you're coming with me…" And the two were escorted past Keary, to which he started developing tears. Before Pudge was completely out of sight, he heard him say,

"Hey…Keary…take good care of her…you're only truly in love once." And with that he was gone.

The guards ignored Keary's cries, and just simply threw them both into the same holding cell guarded by a seal. Mortus brought the other two to the ledge Keary had seen earlier, and looked down over it. "See that pool all the way down there?" And they nodded, "That will be your grave…" He said maliciously and gave the order for them to be pushed off, which they were. The guards thrush themselves into their backs, making the two friend fall off the side and start sledding down the side of the mountain. It was almost like a ramp when they hit the bottom, and flew up into the air before landing in the water. It was a completely sealed off water hole, no exit, and only one entrance. They were stuck, no food, no rest.

"I guess this is it pal…" Leo said to Pudge, "I loved knowing you man…"

"I did too…I wish it didn't come to this, but I guess when push comes to shove, you find out what kind of penguin you really are. And from what we just did, I'd say we're pretty great penguins…" Pudge said while floating in the water next to Leo.

"I guess we are…" It was then that something brushed up against Pudge's side under the water. "What was that?" Leo said after he felt it too.

"Mortus said this water would be our grave, I thought he meant from starvation, but…now I'm thinking he meant something else…" After that, Leo understood. It was then only a matter of seconds, both friends closed their eyes and waited. A splash, and they were dragged under the water by their individual sets of jaws. Torn to pieces, dead, and just a meal for the leopard seals living in the small pool; Mortus watched form up high and just laughed.

"Oh…never gets old… at least they didn't scream, that does get old…"

"Why did you keep the other male around?" One of his guards asked.

"I have use for him, there's something about him I like…and his mate will help me do it."

**Only two chapters left…! It's 1:11 on Friday, and now the countdown to closing time begins, but I'll get it finished, I'll assure you! Stay in touch everyone!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'd like to say that this chapter and the last one aren't being typed on my normal computer, these ones are being typed on my laptop at a different house other than my own. Whose it is is unimportant, just know that I realize how close this and I'll never do that again, thank goodness the submission times aren't until midnight. **

Northern Stars

Chapter 8

Still being the true, murderous villain he was, Mortus watched Pudge and Leo get ripped apart even though the actual bloodshed was under the water. The surface turned red after a point, and Mortus just grinned, for he found pleasure in suffering and inhumanity. Satisfied the deed was done and Keary's friends had been made into dinner, Mortus turned around and moved through the base, his destination being the prison cell holding Keary and Maria Bella. As he walked he got salutes and nodding of the heads, as he was the leader of this cult, he deserved high respects for being the cruelest of the cruel, proven by his clear enjoyment of watching Keary's friends being devoured.

As Mortus got the prison cell in sight, he heard crying, but it wasn't from the girl. As he came over to the side of the cell and looked down into it, he saw that Keary was the one who was crying, Maria was sitting next to him with her flipper wrapped around him trying to give him the comfort he desperately needed. Mortus grinned, he was close, this was just the pain he was looking for.

"Hello Keary…Maria Bella…" He said down into the cell, to which both looked directly up.

"YOU…!" Keary yelled and stood up. "What the hell do you want?!"

"I have a few characters I'd like you to meet Keary, I suggest you come with me…not like you have much of a choice." Mortus said and ordered him. It was then that two penguins pulled Keary up out of his cell, and then pulled Maria Bella up out of the cell too. After Keary walked up to Mortus, the leader turned to Maria Bella and sneered. "Now push her back in…" And one of the penguins viciously kicked Maria Bella in the stomach and made her fall backwards and back into the cell she was just helped out of. Keary growled ferociously and charged at Mortus, but was grabbed by two grunts. "That will a lot worse next time Keary, I suggest you listen to me…" And Mortus started walking in certain direction, to which the grunts let go of Keary and made him follow Mortus to their next location.

Mortus took Keary up the mountain a little further, not to his own personal space, it was the level right below that near a wall. He turned into the area and Keary saw four penguins, but one of them looked funny, almost as if it wasn't like the others in the simple physical appearance. As Keary followed Mortus up to the four, he heard him call,

"Cloud…!" And one of the penguins turned around from his conversation with the others.

"Ah…Mortus sir…what do you need?"

"I have someone I want you to meet, this here is an Emperor penguin like yourself named Keary, he has some rapidly expanding darkness in his heart. I think you could use this, and from what our stalkers tell us, he's got the voice to join you as well."

"Keary huh…?" Cloud said and turned around and called another name, "Hey Vasquez…!" And another bird turned around, it was the odd looking one. "Get your gorgeous ass over here, looks like we have a new addition to the group." This penguin named Vasquez scoffed and walked up to Keary.

"You must be the new member…or so that's what I hear…" It was a female, "As you might've figured out, the name's Vasquez, this egotistical ass is Cloud. Mortus made him the leader of our little group, he hired us to beat penguins into submission by shaming them at performances, and only the best make the cut. I think you should be proud of yourself kid, this means Mortus thinks you have got the guts." From the look of her, Keary could tell in a heartbeat that she wasn't an Emperor, most likely a King.

"The pleasures all mine. Now, what exactly do you plan for me to do with this group Mortus?" It was a demand, the first that Keary ever gave, the deaths of his friends turned him into a monster, he was being rude, snotty, aggressive, and like he was completely different penguin.

"Well Keary, we've received reports that few penguins from The Nation at Ross Bay survived the disaster all those years ago. Our Intel says that it's a father, a mother, and two chicks. You are going to go with these penguins and bring them back here, so we can…use them." And Mortus turned around and started walking away.

"And what if I refuse this offer of yours you filthy monster!" Keary yelled at him, but Mortus grinned yet again.

"I wouldn't if I was you, I'd hate to see your mate have an accident in the Leopard Seal Pool." And he walked off, it was the last time Keary saw him while he was there.

"Hey, don't sweat it kid…" Cloud said trying to give Keary inspiration. "Being picked as one of us is an honor…I'm surprised you made the cut so easily."

"Do we have any names for our targets?" Keary said, building up steam and seeming like his whole body was setting on fire, like he was almost out for blood.

"The Daddy is named Age, the Mommy is Hayley, and the chicks names' are Syrena and Judas. I think it'll be exciting, meeting penguins from Ross Bay." Vasquez said, "It doesn't happen often."

"I don't care when it happens you worthless pieces of feces…" Keary said, raging, and still murderous. "…as long as we get back in time to save my wife! When do we move out?"

"Tonight in a few hours, go say goodbye…you won't see her for a while." Cloud said, and turned back to the other two White Ones.

"Who are they?" Keary asked, but not in a nice, sincere way.

"Forget about it Keary…say goodbye to your wife, we'll be leaving soon…seemed you got in at just the wrong time…" Vasquez said this, and she turned around to talk to Cloud and the other White Ones.

Keary left them behind, he knew where to go, and after he arrived back at the cell, he looked down to see Maria Bella, clutching her belly where it had been kicked. "Maria Bella…" He said softly, like he was back to his old self. She heard him, and stood right up and walked over to be underneath him so they could hold flippers and speak. "I'm being forced into going with these penguins called The White Ones, we have to go to Emperor Land and bring back some penguins that are from Ross Bay. I don't know how long I'll be gone for." Maria was getting ready to cry, she was scared and now, she was going to be alone. Yet, at the same time, she had no way of controlling what happened here,

"Just promise me you'll come back…I need you Keary…I chose you over home…and now that Pudge and Leo are gone…I have nothing else…"

"I'll come back, count on it…I'll do whatever it takes. I love you…don't ever forget it…" And they still were holding flippers.

"I love you too, and don't worry Keary…I shall never forget." It was then that a guard came up behind Keary,

"Hey Keary…time to go, The White Ones are waiting for you."

"I know that back the hell off!" Keary yelled at him. Maria Bella didn't even wink at his behavior. "Goodbye Maria Bella…" And he let go of her flipper and disappeared over the side of the prison.

Maria Bella sat back down on her rear and leaned up against the wall, and put her flipper on her stomach, it was still sore from her getting kicked brutally from Mortus' minion, but that wasn't what was bothering her. Every penguin knew that something happens when you mate, you get pregnant. For Keary's sake, as wonderful as it would have if this hadn't been the circumstances, she hoped she wasn't pregnant, the creatures of this cult wouldn't take lively to an egg, and they'd smash it out of boredom if they could.

The White Ones slide down the mountainside, speeding down and coming to a halt on the end, putting an end to their race down the slope. As everyone stopped and stood up back on their two feet, Keary turned around and looked back up to where his mate was, but his heart had also been left behind, it was there with her. "Hey Keary…you coming…?" Vasquez said as the others started to move out.

"Yeah…but don't talk to me…" Keary said, he was disappointed in himself, he knew all his actions recently were the real him, he was just angry and frustrated that a penguin such as Mortus actually existed. One who enjoys suffering and pain, the thought was sickening. But he left anyway, he left his heart behind with his mate, so long as he was forced to travel with these penguins, he'd be better off without it. As he turned to begin walking towards Emperor Land, there was little else he could do.

_As you walk away, as I feel the pain_

_The only thing that I can think_

_Is how much I've messed up_

_I tried to stay on track, and I did my very best_

_But what do you do when everything you have_

_Is just not enough?_

_I need to find a light, something with water_

_Because my tears, they won't be noticed by me_

_And I need to face my ice, or maybe just a crystal _

_Anything within a reflection or yourself_

_Because at least then you'd be coming back to me…_

**And that ladies and gentlemen, is how Keary became a White One, I'll be accepting all your praise now, and for the record, it's 11:50 PM right now, so I submitted on time! Stay in touch everyone! **


	9. Synopsis

Northern Stars Synopsis

Keary the Emperor Penguin lives in a nation far from Emperor Land called Empire of the Emperor with his friends, it's there that he goes through with Graduation Night, but he's embarrassed by his crush in front of his class. It's then that his friend, Maria Bella, stands up for him by yelling all kinds of nice things about him, but the conversation causes a nearby wall of ice to crack and tumble down. Keary and Maria Bella make it out alive, but the majority of the class is squished under the ice. Faced with banishment, and charged with the deaths of dozens of young penguins, Maria Bella is accused of crime, but Keary takes the fall for her instead and is banished himself instead of her. As Keary wanders around Antarctica searching for a new home, it's revealed that Maria Bella has followed him, willingly risking her life to find Keary. After she finds him, she admits to having romantic feelings for him, and he returns the affection. Following their confessions, they find a small ice cave-like shelter and spend the night. At one point during the night, Keary wakes up, being unable to sleep soundly. Maria Bella wakes up to try and comfort him, and following some romantic words he promises to always be there for her, and that he wishes for her to be his mate. She accepts the proposal, and the two penguins mate in the shelter. In the morning, after another nightmare about Maria Bella, Keary panics and swears he'll always be near her, and for her to stay away when trouble comes along, it's also shown that two more of Keary's friends, Pudge and Leo, have also followed him, claiming best friends belong together. With all four reunited, they set off towards a set of icy mountains occupied by glaciers. During the walk, Maria Bella suggested to Keary that they should tell their friends that she and him have mated and that they're mates now, but Keary refused, saying it'd be too much for them to handle at the moment. Once at the foot of the glaciers, there's two paths, Maria Bella and Keary take one, while Pudge and Leo take the other, promising to meet up at the end. During the walk, Keary hears numerous noises, which are revealed to be a cult of penguins living in the mountains. The cult takes Keary and Maria Bella as hostages, bringing them to their leader, Mortus, and revealing that they also grabbed Pudge and Leo. Mortus brutally orders Keary to pick which of his friends he wants to live, and Keary can't decide. It's then that Pudge and Leo both reveal that they know about Keary and Maria Bella mating, and volunteer to be killed so they can stay together. Mortus orders Pudge and Leo to be thrown into a small pool of water down the mountainside, which reveals to be the home of several leopard seals. Mortus turns away from the incident and leaves the two to their fate, throwing Maria Bella in an ice hole like prison cell and forcing Keary to meet with a group of Emperor Penguins calling themselves The White Ones. Mortus promises to set Maria Bella free if Keary joins the group and then brings back several penguins from Emperor Land to their base. Unable to refuse with his mate's life at stake, Keary goes with the penguins to Emperor Land to bring back the requested penguins. Maria Bella is last shown shaking in her cell, hoping that by mating she hadn't become pregnant. Keary is last seen walking with the other four members of The White Ones, singing his heartsong in the hope that they could get this job done fast, that way he could have Maria Bella back and avenge his friends' deaths.


End file.
